An appraisal of elective programs in the English curricula of American high schools during the last decade is presented. Elective courses are defined as programs at one or more grade levels which allow students to choose courses that appeal to them from a wide variety of offerings. The study is based on data from over 100 programs in 37 states.…

This guide for an elective (10-12) course was written as part of a total effort to revise curriculum to fit the quinmester administrative organization of schools. The guide is divided into: 1) a broad goals section; 2) a content outline; 3) objectives and learning activities; and, 4) recommended and supplementary teacher and student resources. The…

This report summarizes the 1999-2002 program evaluation results of AISD's AVID program, a program designed to help underachieving students with academic potential prepare for entrance into colleges and universities.

The term liberal arts is defined and liberal education is proposed as a more appropriate term. Six characteristics of the liberally educated person are identified and curricular changes that would encourage the development of these qualities are proposed. (Author/MLW)

Two studies evaluated the Computer- and Team-Assisted Mathematics Acceleration course (CATAMA) in Talent Development Middle Schools. The first study compared growth in math achievement for 96 seventh-graders (48 of whom participated in CATAMA and 48 of whom did not); the second study gathered data from interviews with, and observations of, CATAMA…

A study documented coursework completed by graduates of university vocational teacher preparation programs. Twenty-two universities and colleges preparing vocational education teachers provided transcripts for 1988-89 graduates; data from 412 transcripts were coded. Courses taken within various categories were analyzed and comparisons made among…

By comparing high school students' total English scores on the California Achievement Test (CAT) and observing differences in performance based on grade level and gender, a recent study investigated whether significant differences exist between the achievement of students taught in an English phase-elective mini-course system and the achievement…

This paper analyzes Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score declines of two decades--the 1960s and 1970s. The importance of pervasive societal influences is accepted. A variety of data suggests, however, that the increase in school retention rates of poorly prepared students and the resulting heterogeneity of the high school population is a unifying…

The discipline of educational psychology can contribute to a liberal education and should be reorganized to meet this new role in higher education. In light of such problems as the decreasing demand for teachers, educational psychology courses should change from a teacher education to an elective or liberal arts orientation. Economic conditions…

Course descriptions, achievement levels, objectives, suggested required and supplementary materials, course outlines, time allotments, suggested teaching approaches, film and book lists, and bibliographies for teachers are provided for each of 25 elective English courses which are phased on five levels for high school juniors and seniors. Each…

This report of an experimental program, developed at the Jeffersontown High School in Louisville, Kentucky, describes 26 nongraded elective English courses which are divided into five ability-level phases. Phase 1 and 2 courses (for less advanced students) deal with such areas as developmental reading, vocational English, oral communication,…

The elective (10-12) course outlined in this guide is designed to fit the quinmester organization of schools. The guide is divided into: 1) a broad goals section; 2) a content outline; 3) objectives and learning activities; and, 4) multimedia resources for teacher and student. The course is described as a study of crime in America, including the…

A teen mother is likely to be out of school for several weeks following childbirth and will probably spend many hours caring for and bonding with her child. Schools may take this opportunity to allow her to earn elective school credit. This document is comprised of a textbook for use in such a course, a study guide, and a teacher's guide. The…

High school graduation requirements, representing as they do the general education area of a high school's offerings, are of significance in reflecting our educational objectives. The general education area of the curriculum is designed to provide for the common needs of all boys and girls in our society, in contrast to the special interests area…

An elective graduate course on multicultural education in a teacher education program had two main goals: (1) to develop student awareness of the ways in which race, class, and gender affect educational achievement; and (2) to encourage students to challenge social inequality and promote an acceptance of cultural diversity. A social…